Barbour meets Temperly

The new barbour collaboration with Temperly has just arrived at work and I am in two minds. Being fully aware of what Temperly has the ability to do, I find the Gold Label for Barbour very disappointing. There is a combination of long and cropped leather jackets mixed in with the usual quilted jacket Barbour is renowned for. There does seem to be an emphasis on black and the jackets have a much more raw and edgy feel than we are used to. However I just expected more. Perhaps my expectations are too high, sometimes when you get a designer collaboration with more of a highstreet brand, it just doesn't work. The quilted jacket is cheapened by a huge faux-fur collar/hood and also is quite restricted in its shape. The long leather is okay, more goth-esque in my opinion but teamed with skinnies and high ankle boots I think this could look good. It's disappointing as Temperly and Barbour could be the perfect fit. Temperly's timeless glamour merged with Barbour's classic styles could and should have produced something better. Barbour's managing director Steve Buck said. "Gold Label is new, directional and fresh and we wanted to work with a British designer who could capture this feeling yet still remain true to Barbour's heritage."  I do like the Somerset jacket ( 1st pic below), it looks lovely on although would prefer if it wasn't cropped but the mix of leather and wax defines Barbour perfectly.